St. Landry democrat., 1887-11-26

/
| Here Is the relative standing OF ilIlterac3
| in 1880 and 1856:
| Percentage OF i!literate white
voters .....---...-..--. 10 -o''
| percentage OF llliterate colored
voters Observation-Disclosures ov.- or
| Percentage of llliterate voters
OF both races. 400 %
ave could still boast In 1880 that ma
jOrtty OF the voters OF the state were aD!e &c
read and write, that Intelligence was IN
majority, hut we can make TINS podst nc
longer. WierncY IS i2l an absolute m0J0rh5
at the ballot box, aud more than man tht
voters who 20 to the polls are unaole 10 teL
from their tickets for whom they are Voilns
''SUch Is the melancholy picture presented
by MIR. ArrOyO's statistics, statistics not "a
be disputed, for they are taken from the
registration books where the voters sign
their names
Now what does the Times Democrat con
clude on this subject! 1t says:
I've have 80 1ar done nothing. less than
nothing, for tho protection of this sectlon
from it, dllIteracSl "We have not ever
kept the tide IN It's bounds, but 1t Is con
stantly sweeping forward"
''Bl THEIR FRUITS YOU SHALL KNOW THEM
is a rule of judgment which I cite with rev
erence. Test the educational system py the
facts have cited, there can be but one con
cluslon. True the editorial which l cited
says the state has done all IN her power,
but the results are as stated
This then is the situation in 1854 ma
jorlty OF the voters OF the state were able TO
read or write. | have shown you thai IN
1885 Governor McEnery having been In office
nearly all thlB Intervening time, there had
been euch
AN INCREASE OF ILL1TERACr
that majority could not write. Mark, this
Increase was not only among the cOlOt ed but
also among the white voters. Now | ass
You, what eau be the foundation for the
claim OF a successful and prosperous educa-
tlOual system when such results COufeS8ediy
exist!
Let he, however, go further than the fore
going statements. | have been looking Toto
the figures on the subject OF education In
this state. They present end plcture-one
which calls tor remedy. In considering the
subject | take tho last report of the state
superintendent Of education and tie report
OF Toe commissioner o! education for 1881 IS.
The last AVS that IN 1854 there were 2yl ,O0c
youths OF tins state between and Is years
OF age. How many were atrepding sChoolln
this state OF the whites 1881 anh cUlored
3l,U3j, making 81 U24. In otuer words.
IEsS THAN OSETIIIRD
of the educaole children Of the state. 1t is
TO be remarked that this luCuttS tbs city or
New Orleans. Where there are "a 900 child rel
attending scnOo, and II you subtract the n :
O0I from $1,000 what d small percentage re
IL AIMS Of tue etucaba children in the state
VINO were attending school. Yet n the face
OF these official figures we are asked 10 VIC
late the elementary principles OF our gov
eminent TO create tnlrd term for the chief
executive on tao ground OF The efficiency OF
our school systom. | have shown you now
small has been tHe Attendance atthe schools.
and what little effect the school wOr6 has
had IN education In our state, tnat from 1880
to 1856 great increase or i.i'ecdcT Ia the
State mas taken place. Let as LOOK now TO
sea now long
TIE SCHOOLS HAVE REEE KEPT OrEN.
Taxing up superintendent i.asLUn's report
made al the last session Of the Legislature
tiud that III 1854 the schools OF This state, in
Guiding those of New Orleans. where uuey
are Upan nine months in the year, were kept
ouCu i0r rs ItlOuths. IAele are 15 parishes
III the state and dividing tile 225 months by
thCse figures, We get the average Tor each
parish and 1iud that in 1904, lucluiiug New
Orleans, the avrrase length OF lime the
schools were open in tach parish was
THREE MONTHS AND i FRACTION
out Of the year. In 1855 the public schools
were kept open for 30 months, or an
average OF four mUntns o. sCTOui in eacn
parish, out OF tne Whole year. Yet these re-
aQlJo are advanced as reason why We
should surrender our constitutional rights,
aud change an elementary principle OF our
government. Inc statement mas been made
tnat the school attendance mas IDCred sed
The only Ii lures TO which / have access are
the official figures hold III my h.lt, taken
from the report Of the commissioner Of edu-
cation for lS>.S5. They snow that III 1854
tnere Were 81 900 children attending pupltc
schools IN this STATE. and il iSSj tuere were
S9,94l. In other words,
THEkE WAS AN INCREASE
from 1854 to 1885 OF IS 917. This increased
attendance from 1884 To 1855, instead Uf being
an advantage To the state, has been, as see
II, n Disadvantage, because I have shown
you that the schools were kept open in 1884
Tor only three months and a traction. and In
1855 for four months. How could this In
creased Attendance prove a benefit unless
the means OF education were increased In
other words. II you have a barrel which
nolds oB!y fifty gallons, aid you have sew
enty-tiy gallons To put Ia ii, now are you 10
put tnem i'll !! Inc figures show that whist
there was this increased attendance between
1854 and 1855,
THE APPROPRIATION
for 1885 dropped down 100000 below that
OF 1854: that IS to say, that while there WAS
an increased attendance OF pupils there was
lees money to educate them. Here are the
figures taken from The report for Louisiana
of the commissioner OF education. The
financial statement shows:
Money for schools for 1884. ...... s4To.3l7
Money tOr schools Tor 1885. .......... $4,000
decrease $2p,3l1
In consulting the auditors reports find
s552 065. Now | submit to any candid man
VINO Is exercising his reason tins question:
What ia the benefit from an increased at
tendance between 1884 and 1855 when I show
you That with increased attendance of pupils
there mas been decrease III the amounl OF
money appropriated to educate them! But
the situation IL
EVEN WORSE THAN THIS.
The same official figures snow that 60 far at
least as the white schools are concerned, the
number OF scnooihouses diminished some
what between 1854 and 1855 In 1854 the
sohoolhouses of the state were wholly laade-
Quate to the education Of the youth or the
state as set forth in the article from the
1llnes- Democrat. since there was an In
crease in ili1tera1e white voters. With more
children to educate IN 1855 than IN 1854 there
was not only less money Tor scnool purposes
but less sch0oinouses for white children.
nave submitted TO you what the secretary
OF states nEures snow on this subject, what
the 11mes-Democrat says by way OF com
ment, and have given you the official t1xures
concerning the attendance, tho money for
pubic schools and the nnmber OF school,
houses. Now, lei us ses what the superin-
tendent OF education says III his report for
1884 and 1885. After quoting the article of
the constitution whicu provides that free
pubic school system shall be established
and maintained IN this sTHte for the purpose
OF educating the youths Of the state, he
says:
Has this wise and mandatory provision of
the constitution been faithfully admins
tered by our public servants! If not, why!
HI as 1t been because of an Indifference on
the part of public servants or because of
some unfortunate provision In this same
constitution that partially nullities The Wise
provision of article 224!
L believe, after careful study of the ques-
ton, that
THE FAILURE OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SIS
TEN OF THIS STATE
comes not from the indifference of our pub
!lc servants, but fIom unwlse and hascy
legislation on tine part of the trainers of the
constitution of 1879"
acre IS the superintendent of public edu-
caUion admitting that the public school AVS
tenn In this state Is q failure True, he at
tributes the failure to the constitution of
1879. The cause Of the failure am not now
concerned with. am simply showing the
iact OF lalinre IN order thereby to destroy